Mario Bass was killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on February 23; however, his death certificate now reveals that he was shot in the back. Despite the newfound information, law enforcement previously made claims that he scuffled with a member of the task force before being shot.
According to WUSA9, Bass' father Daniel Williams received a death certificate from the state medical examiner's office which says Mario’s cause of death was a “gunshot wound to the back."
“It says he was shot in the back and that’s my biggest concern. How can you shoot me in the back if I’m struggling for your gun? I’m running away that’s the only way I can be shot in the back,” Williams said.
Mario Bass was shot in the back by an ICE officer, Death Certificate confirms. Bass held no weapon and had no gun. His devastated family questions police account of an “altercation” and believes Mario was running away when he was shot. We’re asking questions @wusa9 at 6pm. pic.twitter.com/0wRpvolxaX
— Peggy Fox (@PeggyTV) April 24, 2018
Bass was at a Days Inn in Dumfries, Virginia, on the day he died. The ICE officer who killed him was a part of a U.S. Marshall’s Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force looking to arrest the father of five. According to Prince William County Police, Bass had 11 outstanding warrants. Though he was on the run, his family believes his ex-girlfriend called police and told them where he was — at the hotel with a new girlfriend.
When officers arrived, Bass crashed through a two-story rear window where police say he landed near the ICE agent and then assaulted the officer. There was an alleged scuffle between the two before the federal officer fired one shot into his back.
Prince William County Commonwealth’s attorney Paul Ebert confirmed the 37-year-old did not have a gun.
While ICE is conducting an internal investigation into the shooting, Bass' family wants to see the officer charged.
“I would love to know, but there was only two people in the alley that night. There was Mario and the officer that did the shooting,” said Williams. “Yes-ma’am, I would love to. If there’s anything chargeable, charge this man because there are too many young black men being killed for no reason, and my son didn’t have no violent crimes, none."
Bass joins the list of other black men like Walter Scott and Stephon Clark who were shot in the back and killed by police. If these men are so threatening, why wait until they're running away to shoot?
